Blood tests are important to check a person’s health. Different types of laboratory tests are conducted to check the overall health status.
Lab assistants would test a person’s blood, urine, or body fluids such as gastric acid, other body tissues, stool, etc.
The final lab test report will indicate whether a person’s lab values are within the average range. This article provides everything you need to know about Normal Lab Values.
What Do You Mean by Normal Lab Values
Clinical guidelines determine normal lab values, which may vary between laboratories and countries based on standardized ranges and units. Since the normal lab values may vary, the normal lab values in lab reports come between upper and lower limits. Lab Values depend upon the tests prescribed by the physician.
How Do Lab Tests Prescribe?
Physicians prescribe lab tests to patients based on their recently developed symptoms.
Physicians may order multiple lab tests based on clinical assessment to diagnose or monitor conditions, not solely to confirm diseases. The lab tests may be taken periodically to check the progress of the disease as per the physician’s guidance.
Physicians assess patients and may order lab tests, typically collected by healthcare professionals specialized in sample collection, not necessarily the physicians themselves.
Lab assistants would also come to collect the blood sample right in the clinic, so you would not need to go anywhere. You may be asked to visit the lab and get tested personally.
The lab assistant only tests your blood samples upon receiving the doctor’s prescription. Every lab assistant must follow certain rules and regulations to comply with the laws.
Each lab collects information about the patients and saves their previous and current sample reports in its database. If needed, the labs can compare the previous and current lab reports to see changes and progress.
What Factors Affect the Normal Lab Values
The lab results may vary from person to person; however, the Normal Lab Values are the same. A person’s sex, age, general health, medical history, and current diseases are the factors that can affect the normal lab values of the patient.
Besides this, what you eat, how your body reacts, and what laboratory you choose may also affect the final lab reports.
Always choose the trusted laboratory for blood or other lab tests. Trusted laboratories will give you accurate results that can help doctors diagnose diseases.
The FDA regulates laboratory tests and equipment but does not set normal lab values established through clinical research and laboratory standards. The agency provides test kits and other equipment manufactured commercially in the country.
They also check the standards and other regulations before they approve the manufacturers of particular equipment or test kits.
Hematology – Red Blood Cells
Red Blood Cells- The normal range of a person’s red blood cell count is listed in the table below.
| Laboratory Test | Sex | Normal Lab Values |
|---|---|---|
| RBC | Male | 4.2 – 5.6 10^6 / µL |
| RBC | Female | 3.8 – 5.1 10^6 / µL |
| RBC | Child | 3.5 – 5.0 10^6 / µL |
Hematology – White Blood Cells
White Blood Cells- The normal range of a person’s White Blood Cell count are listed below in the table.
| Laboratory Test | Sex | Normal Lab Values |
|---|---|---|
| WBC | Male | 3.8 – 11.0 10^3 / mm3 |
| WBC | Female | 3.8 – 11.0 10^3 / mm3 |
| WBC | Child | Normal WBC range for children varies with age, typically between 5.0 and 10.0 x 10^3/mm^3. |
Hemoglobin
Hemoglobin reports are prescribed to confirm the effects of diseases on a person’s red blood cells or hemoglobin counts.
| Laboratory Test | Sex | Normal Lab Values |
|---|---|---|
| Hgb | Male | 13.8 – 17.2 g/dL |
| Hgb | Female | 12.1 – 15.1 g/dL |
| Hgb | Child | 11 – 13 g/dL (for ages 0.5-5 years) |
| Hgb | Newborn | 15 – 25 g/dL |
General Chemistry
General Chemistry lab reports are prescribed to check the overall functionality of the body’s components.
| Laboratory Test | Normal Lab Values |
|---|---|
| acetone | 0.3 – 2.0 mg% |
| albumin | 3.5 – 5.0 gm/dL |
| alkaline phosphatase | 32 – 110 U/L |
| anion gap | 5 – 16 mEq/L |
| ammonia | 11 – 35 µmol/L |
| amylase | 50 – 150 U/dL |
| AST,SGOT- Male | 7 – 21 U/L |
| AST,SGOT- Female | 6 – 18 U/L |
| bilirubin | 0.0 – 0.4 mg/dL |
| bilirubin - total | 0.2 – 1.4 mg/dL |
| BUN | 6 – 23 mg/dL |
| calcium | 8 – 11 mg/dL |
| carbon dioxide | 21 – 34 mEq/L |
| chloride | 96 – 112 mEq/L |
| Creatinine - Male | 0.6 – 1.2 mg/dL |
| Creatinine - Female | 0.5 – 1.1 mg/dL |
| Creatinine | 0.6 – 1.5 mg/dL |
| folic acid | 2.0 – 21 ng/mL |
| glucose | 65 – 99 mg/dL |
| HDL- Male | 25 – 65 mg/dL |
| HDL- Female | 38 – 94 mg/dL |
| iron | 52 – 169 µg/dL |
| lactic acid | 0.4 – 2.3 mEq/L |
| lactate | 0.3 – 2.3 mEq/L |
| lipase | 10 – 140 U/L |
| magnesium | 1.5 – 2.5 mg/dL |
| osmolarity | 276 – 295 mOsm/kg |
| potassium | 3.5 – 5.5 mEq/L |
| phosphorus | 2.2 – 4.8 mg/dL |
| parathyroid hormone | 12 – 68 pg/mL |
| sodium | 135 – 148 mEq/L |
| SGPT | 8 – 32 U/L |
| TSH | 0.5 – 4.5 µIU/mL |
| total protein | 5 – 9 gm/dL |
| thyroxine | 5 – 13 µg/dL |
| thyroglobulin | < 55 ng/mL |
| uric acid- Female | 2.5 – 6.6 mg/dL |
| uric acid- Male | 3.5 – 7.7 mg/dL |
| Cholesterol - LDL | < 130 mg/dL desirable |
| Cholesterol- HDL | 30 – 75 mg/dL |
| Cholesterol- Total | < 200 mg/dL desirable |
| Triglycerides- Female | 35 – 135 mg/dL |
| Triglycerides- Male | 40 – 170 mg/dL |
Coagulation Tests
Coagulation tests are prescribed to check the role of proteins in forming blood clots. The table below lists different types of coagulation tests.
| Laboratory Tests | Normal Lab Values |
|---|---|
| APTT | 21 – 35 seconds |
| ACT | 90 – 130 seconds |
| PT | 10 - 14 seconds |
| PTT | 32 - 45 seconds |
| platelets | 140,000 – 450,000 /ml |
| plasminogen | 62 – 130% |
| fibrinogen | 160 – 450 mg/dL |
| FSP | < 10 µg/dL |
| thrombin | 14 - 19 seconds |
| bleeding time | 3-7 minutes |
Neurological Values
Neurological Tests are prescribed to confirm any neurological disorder. The types of tests to check neurological disorders are listed below.
| Laboratory Tests | Normal Lab Values |
|---|---|
| cerebral perfusion pressure | 70 – 90 mm Hg |
| intracranial pressure | 5 – 15 mm Hg or 7 – 15 cm H2O |
Neurological values and tests require venous or arterial values. The different types of venous and arterial test values are listed below.
Venous Values
| Laboratory Tests | Normal Lab Values |
|---|---|
| pH | 7.31 – 7.41 |
| PaCO2 | 41 – 51 mm Hg |
| PaO2 | 45 mm Hg |
| BE | 0 to +4 mmol/L |
| O2 Saturation | 60 – 85% |
| HCO3 | 22 – 29 mEq/L |
Arterial Values
| Laboratory Tests | Normal Lab Values |
|---|---|
| pH | 7.35 – 7.45 |
| O2 Saturation | 96 – 100% |
| PaO2 | 85 – 100 mm Hg |
| BE | -2 to +2 mmol/L |
| HCO3 | 22 – 26 mEq/L |
| PaCO2 | 35 – 45 mm Hg |
Hemodynamic Parameters
Physicians measure hemodynamic parameters frequently to check blood flow and circulation in humans. The types of hemodynamic parameters and tests are listed in the table below.
| Laboratory Tests | Normal Lab Values |
|---|---|
| cardiac output | 4 – 8 LPM |
| cardiac index | 2.5 – 4.2 L / min / m2 |
| right ventricular stroke work index | 7 – 12 g / m2 / beat |
| left ventricular stroke work index | 40 – 70 g / m2 / beat |
| mean arterial pressure | 70 – 105 mm Hg |
| pulmonary vascular resistance index | 1970 – 2390 dynes / sec / cm^-5 |
| pulmonary vascular resistance | 155 – 255 dynes / sec / cm^-5 |
| systolic arterial pressure | 90 – 140 mm Hg |
| systemic vascular resistance index | 1970 – 2390 dynes/sec / cm^-5 |
| systemic vascular resistance | 900 – 1600 dynes/sec / cm^-5 |
| stroke volume index | 40 – 85 mL / m2 / beat |
| stroke volume | 60 – 100 mL/beat |
| ejection fraction | 60 – 75% |
| central venous pressure | 2 – 6 mm Hg; 2.6 – 9.4 cm H2O |
| diastolic arterial pressure | 60 – 90 mm Hg |
| right atrial pressure | 4 – 6 mm Hg |
| left arterial pressure | 4 – 12 mm Hg |
| pulmonary artery end-diastolic pressure | 8 – 10 mm Hg |
| pulmonary artery wedge pressure | 4 – 12 mm Hg |
| pulmonary artery pressure | 10 – 20 mm Hg |
| pulmonary artery diastolic | 5 – 15 mm Hg |
| pulmonary artery systolic | 15 – 30 mm Hg |
| right ventricular end-diastolic pressure | 0 – 8 mm Hg |
Blood Sugar Tests
Blood Sugar Tests are prescribed to check blood sugar values. The types of blood sugar tests and their values are listed below.
| Laboratory Tests | Normal Lab Values |
|---|---|
| Fasting Blood Sugar | < 100 mg/dL |
| Post-prandial Blood Sugar | < 180 mg/dL |
| Random Blood Sugar | < 140 mg/dL |
Thyroid Function Tests
| Laboratory Tests | Normal Lab Values |
|---|---|
| T3 | 80 - 180 ng/dL |
| T4 | 4.6 - 12 ng/dL |
| TSH | 0.4 - 4.0 mIU/L |
| T3RU | 23% - 37% |
The thyroid is a gland in the neck area responsible for several functions in the human body. Different types of Thyroid Function Tests are prescribed to confirm the type of thyroid disorder that causes different types of problems.
See Also
Medical Laboratory Technician Scholarships
Cross Cultural Communication Training for Physicians
Best Medical Terminology Books
Follow us